Machine for handling and preparing oysters



Dec, 7, 1948. 2. G. HAWK 2,455,675

' MACHINE FOR HANDLING AND PREPARING'OYSTERS Filed Dec. 6, 1946 Il -I.YIIII/lIIII/l 20:21 6. flan 1f Patented Dec. 7, 1948 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE N MACHINEFORHA N D I :I:ZAND P REPARING 1 applicationIleceniber e,

" 30mm. (on. 17--.-3)

The present inventionrelatesto. a machine and method for handling andpreparinfg certain kinds of sea food and is particularly directed to a;device and process for cleaning food material from the intestinesofshelled oystera or the like.

An object of the inventionis to provide a means for increasingthejpalatablenes-sl and flavor. of the oyster by removing therefrom in anoveland efficient manner the foodmaterial lodged in the intestine ofsaid oyster. r l

The invention also consists in. th'e novel sequence ofsteps forattainingthe foregoing objectives and also the lcombination and arrangement ofparts of the machine forcarryin'gout said steps set forth in thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawing and particularlypointed out in theclaims.

Inthe drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of, my machine for cleaning shelledoysters, parts thereof being shown in cross-sectionand other partsillustrated diagrammatically. i

Fig. 2 is a fragmental top plan view of the. conveyor taken on line 2-2of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional viewtaken on line 3.3 of Fig. 1. ii i i Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 ofFig. 1. i 3

It is well known that the food material lodged in the intestine of anoyster causes a slightly unpalatable flavor to it when it is consumedand it is to effect the elimination of this undesirable taste factorthat the objects of this invenion are directed. My method of cleaningthe food material from the intestines of shelled oysters consists in thestep of moving individual oysters on a conveyor, and holding the oysteron the conveyor against displacement therefrom, and thereafter, forminga knife cut through each oyster and into the intestine thereof. Afterthe out has been formed a stream or jet of fluid under pressure isdirected into the cut to flush the food material therefrom.

The foregoing steps will be more clearly understood from a descriptionof the machine forearrying out said steps and with reference to thedrawings the numeral 6 generally indicates a machine frame supportedabove a floor upon suitable legs l. Rollers 8 and 9 are suitablyjournaled for rotation on the frame and support between them a pair oftransversely spaced endless conveyors I and II. The conveyor is moved inthe direction of the arrow by means of a motor I! which drives theroller 8 through suitable chain and sprocket arrangement I3,

1946, Serial-1N0. 114,501

Aplurality ofoyster receiving cups I4 areeach mounted between theconveyors and as most clearly indicated in Figs. 2-4 each cup isprovided with an elliptically shaped concave portion l for receiving anoyster ii. To provide an uninterrupted cup surface along the upper reachof the conveyor the adjacent portions of each cup are provided withtransversely extending edges which are in abutment with similartransverse edges on adjacent cups. Each cup is supported upon theconveyor by a pair of spaced, depending legs I! and I8 which passthrough openings 19 and 20 respectively formedthrough the adjacent edgeportions of the belts Ill and ii. The de pending legs are preferablyprovided with shoulders 2! which are in abutment with the top surfacesofthe conveyors and the lower ends thereof are threaded to cooperate withsuitable nuts 22 drawn up against the undersides of the conveyors. Eachcup is also provided with a longitudinally extending through-slot 23whichis formed in the tical recess l 5 of each cup as it passesthereunder.

The oysters in the cups are conveyed past-a knife 20 mounted on theframe and extending upwardly between the conveyors I0 and II, thecutting edge 21 being positioned in alignment with the through-slots inthe cups and adapted to project through the slots to cut into theintestine of each oyster. As illustrated in Fig. 1 the knife edge may beinclined so that the lower portion of the edge will first contact theoyster and as said oyster is moved longitudinally past the knife theedge will make a progressively deeper cut therein. After the out hasbeen made the oyster is moved by the conveyor past one or more fluidpressure nozzles 28 mounted on the frame between the conveyors and asillustrated in Fig. 4, are directed to force a stream of fluid 29through the slot 23 and into the knife cut 290 kniferand thenozzle-means. 7

veyor and at the same, speed therewith by ra;

sprocket and chain connection 34 with the driven conveyor roller 8. Thecleaned oysters may be deposited in a suitable container 35 positioned"beneath the discharge end oizthe; conveyor.

It will therefore be noted that I have provided a simplified method andefficient means for increasing the palatableness and flavor-ofshelle'd'oysters by removing therefrom food-material,

lodged in the intestines thereof. 'While there is conveyor and eachhaving a longitudinal throughslot formed in the bottom thereof, a knifemounted in the frame beneath the conveyor and having its cutting edgedisposed in alignment with the through-slots in the cups and adapted toproject through the slots to cut into the intestines of the oysters asthey are moved by the conveyor; aw'fluid pressure-nozzle mounted bemath=the. conveyordnhspaced. relation with the knife and directed to force astream of food flushing fluid through the slots and into the knife utsinthe conv yfid ioysters.

,. '3.' In a machine" for cleaning food material from the intestines ofshelled oysters the combilnatior'f di'zcal frame, a pair of transverselyspaced endless conveyors on the frame, means for moving" the oonveyorsmunison, a plurality of oyster shown and described herein certainspecific me chine structure and certain method steps for carry-ings out:myinvention, it; will be nranifestv to vide machines; for operationupon oysters-of a particular grade or size vand it is also-contemrplated: that the number ot-pressure nozzles-may be varied in accordancewith r-.ithe-.-particular cleansing requirements of themachine.--:Whatis claimedis'z. v 1.111 a mazchinefor-cleaning, foodmaterial fromthe intestines of.shel1ed oysters, .--thecombination. of a conveyor,valsuccessionofgoystenre ceiving pockets carried on the conveyor;-andeeach adapted tov support an oyster therein, a fixed knife blade.positioned: in-the-=path-of the ,conveyed oysters, a source of fluid,pres sure,,a .fi-xed nozzle means positioned to-direct a -jet. of -saidfluid intowthe cuts in-the: oysters-made by the knife, and a hold-downcover positionedadjacent the holders and opposed to the positions/of the2. In a machine-for cleaning, ioodimaterial from the intestines ofshelled oysters thecombination of a frame, an ehdless' conveyor on theframe, means. for moving said conveyor, a plurali'ty' of. oysterreceiving cups mounted on the receiving cups each mounted between theconveyors and each having, a longitudinal throughslot formed. in the.bottom thereof in longitudinal a1igmnent ,"with the; slots inf-adjacentcups, a knife mounteqrooahe frame between the conveyors saidknifehavingdts cutting edge positioned in alignment with ,thethroughslots in the cupsandfadapted' to project through the slots to-cutintofthe' intestine of each oyster, a fluid; 1;iressur evnozfzle'mounted between the conveyorsiin spacedfrelationi with theknife. and directed to force a stream of food flushing. fluid throughtheslots and intothek'nife cuts in the oysters, an endless. oyster hold,down belt mounted or'rthje framesuperj'acent the cups, and

cans :fon moving said belt: in the direction of v iizomarmwx.REFERENCES: GITED- The following references fi le 'o'f I unrrnngsrnrrns..PATENIYIS Dec; 25; 1 945

